Ahh, the daily commute. The time of your day when you rush, elbows out, towards tube carriages, bus doors and closing lifts.

If, like many other workers, you spend your commute staring out of rain splattered windows or pretending to be elsewhere with headphones jammed in your ears, you might want to consider this advice.

On average, a UK worker’s commute is 54 minutes. That’s nearly an hour. That’s nearly two hours a day. That’s nearly two hours a day that you could be doing something productive and making the most out of your time. Here are our top tips on how to make the most out of your commute:

1. Read

It's also a good way to avoid making eye contact with your fellow commuters

Yes, we know this one is fairly obvious, but so many people are reading during their commutes for good reason! Instead of listening to music or sitting there twiddling your thumbs, why not start a gripping new novel or fascinating non-fiction to pass the time on your commute. Reading engages your brain and keeps you stimulated far more than listening to music and we’re sure you’ll find yourself more relaxed by the time you get home.

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I know what you’re thinking… it’s impossible to learn a new skill whilst commuting unless it’s something like ‘How To Avoid Eye Contact With Everyone On The Carriage,’ or ‘How To Edge Towards The Doors Whilst Still Letting People Off The Bus First.’

Although these might be perfectly valid skills, (that I’m sure you have all mastered perfectly), your time spent commuting can be used to learn a more ‘useful’ skill. With apps for everything nowadays, why not download an app that will help you learn a new language or improve your vocabulary.

3. Listen to Podcasts

Expand your knowledge of current affairs

Podcasts or audio books are a great way to pass the time on your commute. With podcasts on a variety of interesting subjects and almost every novel turned into an audio book you’ll have no trouble finding something you want to listen to. The advantage of an audio book/podcast over reading is that even if you find yourself cramped up against the walls with no space to hold a book, you can just plug your headphones in and pretend to be somewhere else.

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So playing Candy Crush for 2 hours a day isn’t exactly the most productive thing you can do with your time. Doing a Sudoku, crossword or brain-teasing game however can help to keep you alert and sharpen your mind.